Jesus Surpasses Your Faith and Your Doubts

You may consider yourself to be a person of great faith....or maybe, you feel like you are the biggest doubter in the world. Most of us would place ourselves somewhere in between. But wherever you are at today in your faith, just know this....Jesus surpasses your faith, as well as your doubts.

As human beings, we tend to focus a lot on "our faith." What really matters the most, however, is not the strength of "our faith," but the strength of our Savior. If He is truly God....and the Redeemer of mankind....which He is....then don't worry. He can save you, just like He will save all of His children. The children of God trust in Jesus, plain and simple. Some seem to have much stronger faith than others....but you know what? It's not about us....or "our faith." It's all about His love....and His cross....and His ability to keep us in His family. (see John 10:28)

I am not suggesting that faith is unimportant....far from it. The Bible makes it clear that "without faith, it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6) So yes, faith is very important. But what makes faith so beneficial is the One who is on the giving end of it....and He is the Lord of all. He is the object of our faith.

Perhaps you have made the mistake that any of us can make....and that is to place faith in "our faith." What's wrong with that picture? Well....the object of "our faith" in that situation is something going on inside of us. That's not a very good place to put your trust. It is far preferable to "fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess." (Hebrews 3:1) He is always strong and steady, whereas "our faith" can be shaky and wavering at times.

Maybe you are one of those who has far more doubts than faith. Maybe you even would call yourself an unbeliever as it pertains to Jesus, the Messiah. If so, where do you suppose those doubts came from? Are you even slightly aware of the origin of that unbelief? It would be safe to say that you have not obtained those doubts by focusing upon Jesus and His cross....and His love for you. Instead, I am guessing that those doubts have come from distracting ideas and opinions which "war against your soul" (1 Peter 2:11) and against any inkling of faith you may have had at one point in your life.

If you are a doubter, please know that Jesus surpasses your doubts. He is so much greater than your opinions and your perceptions....and yet, you may find yourself "locked into" a prison of doubt as it relates to the Son of God. The world has a way of doing that to a person if you leave your heart unchecked....and your mind open to any opinion about Christianity and Jesus Christ. In the end, the only thing that matters is God's perspective....because that is the truth. In fact, Jesus Himself is "the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) Have you visited with Him lately....or just been pulled away from Him by other opinions and various desires within yourself?

Jesus is greater than any desires which pull you in harmful directions. How can you know which desires are harmful, and which are not? Well....which desires give you a greater love and appreciation for your Savior who loved you enough to give His life on the cross for your sins? Are you tired of being pulled in the wrong direction? Are you weary of your doubts about the Master? If so, then hear His voice to you when He says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Perhaps you grew up learning about Jesus, but have since "outgrown it." That is a heartbreaking development in the lives of many today. Imagine that....a person "outgrowing" a relationship with his Creator and Redeemer. It just goes to show how susceptible we all are to straying from the very One who gave us physical life....and offers us an abundant life of spiritual fulfillment and purpose through the forgiveness of our sins. Unless we are fulfilling God's purposes for our life, we are just chasing a dream that will have no lasting substance. It will all disappear one day, like a vapor. Life with God goes on forever, whereas life without Jesus eventually comes to a crashing realization of having been deceived by sin, doubt, and Satan himself.

Ah yes....the great deceiver....the one who planted seeds of doubt in the first human beings God created. That snake came along and breathed his doubt upon them, (see Genesis 3:1-7) whereas God had breathed into them "the breath of life." (Genesis 2:7) It was Satan's own doubt about God that led to his downfall....and many have followed him on his slithering path. His purpose is to get you to doubt God long before you flat out reject God's love for you and His plan of salvation.

But just think about this for a second....what have your doubts ever done for you? Have they ever brought you closer to God....or instead, just driven you further from Him? The epitome of spiritual irony is the man who places ultimate faith in his own doubts. Go figure. What a tragic and misguided existence.

The power of doubt is the power of unbelief. The power of faith is the power of Christ living in us as we trust in His death on the cross to forgive our sins. Which power is controlling your life today? Are you focused upon "your faith," or perhaps your doubts? Here is the answer to your problem, as stated in God's love letter to His children: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2) Now there is the remedy my friend for whatever ails your soul.

Dan Delzell is the pastor of Wellspring Lutheran Church in Papillion, Neb. He is a regular contributor to The Christian Post.